Stopper.



Patentad Sept. 4, I917.

qmmmmmm m R. W. SAMPSON.

STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I7. 1916.

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STOPPEE.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Sept. d, 191 '2',

Application filed August 1?, 1916. Serial No. 115,372.

To all whom it may concern:

p Be it known that 1, ROBERT Wm SAMPsoN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Melba, VVhitestone, Long Island, New York,,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to composite stoppers which are so constructed that by manipulating their parts they may be made to expand and contract to facilitate their insertion into and removal from the orifices which they are intended to close, the details of my improvements being hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my improved closer; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same inserted in the neck of a bottle'which is shown in section; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sections of modifications; Fig. 7 is a top view of the forms shown in Figs. 4; and 5; and Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly in section, of a detaching tool adapted for use in connection with. the form of closer shown in Figs. d, 5 and 7.

in all the figures corresponding parts are denoted by corresponding reference numorals.

In manipulating the closer for an orifice, such as a stopper for a bottle, the operations of securing and detaching are facilitated it means are provided whereby the closer can be made to change its form, otherwise than by its contact with the sides of the orifice. Thus if the body ofthe closer can be made to expand, its pressure against the sides of the orifice may be thereby increased,

7 combined with mechanism, with more or less rigid elements, adapted to exert pressure upon the body in different directions so as to modify its form.

Tf'the rigid, modifying elements are of metal it is own important that they should be prevented from coming into contact with the contentsof the receptacle which is sealed by the closer. Hence, if the flexible body of the closer is composed, for instance, of rubber, the metal controlling elements should be entirely closed within the rubber, so as to prevent their coming into contact with any liquid which may reach the lower end or sides of the closer, which might result 1n IIIJHI'Y to the metal parts or contamination of the contents of the receptacle. And, so far as possible, the metal adjacent to the upper part of the closer should be protected in the same way, although this is not of such prime importance, because any liquid coming against this portion of the closer can be removed by wiping or otherwise, without injury to the contents of the receptacle, and without danger of corrosion which exists where contact of a liquid with metal is long continued.

In forming my improved closer, to secure the advantages and avoid the dithculties above mentioned, I prefer to employ a flexible body 1 of rubber or similar material, which may be either of uniform substance, as indicated in Figs. 3, l and 6, or of a composite character, as indicated in Fig. 5, where a textile filling 2 is shown as surrounded by the rubber exterior 1.

Vllithin the body 1 are preferably inclosed two plates 3 and 4, the plate 3 being swiveled upon the end of a shank 5 which may be provided with a head 6 and a reduced neck 7, so as to permit relative rotation of the plate 3 and the shank 5, but not to allow the shank to slip back and forth through the plate. The plate l is threaded upon the shank 5, so that it may be drawn up and down u on the shank by rotating the latter. Pre erably the plates 3 and 4: are bent or dished away from each other, as shown, so that their edges are more widely separated than their central portions; thus allowing the mass of the body 1 between the plates to be increased as it extends toward the periphery of the plates. The shank 5 is extended into a suitable manipulating portion, as a ring 8, or a bent over portion 9; or it may be formed with an angular end as 10, terminating either above or below the top of the closer (see Figs. 4., 5 and 7), and adapted to be engaged by a suitable wrench-like tool 11, which is shown in 8 as provided with a socket 12 to coiiperate with the squaredend of the shank 5. I have shown the squared end as pierced by a transverse hole 14, and the tool 11 is provided with a reduced end 13 adapted to enter the hole, so as to thereby lift the closer.

With the parts assembled in the manner described, theplates 3 and 4 being anchored in the body of the closer so as to prevent rotation of the plate 4 therein, if the shank 5 is rotated so as'to force the plate 4 down toward the plate 3, the rubber body between the plates will be compressed and expanded outward, by the approach of the plates toward each other and by the outward thrust of their dished faces, thus, substantially expanding the body 1 of the closer and causing it to tightly fill an orifice into which it may have been inserted comparatively loosely, as by slipping it into the neck of a bottle without forcing it tightly thereinto. And when the rotation of the shank 5 is reversed, so as to draw the plate 4 away from plate 3, the body 1 of the closer will be stretched longitudinally causing its sides to draw in or contract,-thereby loosening the closer from the sides of the orificeso as to permit its eas removal therefrom. This arrangement parts secures an elastic body in which all portions of the metal controlling elements, with the exception of the upper extension of the shank 5, are embedded so as to effectually protect them against contact with any liquid around the sides of or beneath the closer. The expansion and contraction of the closer is made direct and positive, and is not dependent in either direction upon the mere elasticity either of expansion or contraction of the body itself. And it will be apparent, also, from the construction shown, that the body not only may be expanded laterally, from a normal initial position, but that it may also be contracted laterally, away from such a normal initial position; and that this latter movement may be carried to the extent of drawing in or concaving the sides of the body so as to greatly assist in freeing it from the walls of an opening to which, either from chemical action or otherwise, it has a tend ency to adhere.

In Fig. I have omitted the plate 3, the head 6 being enlar ed so as to be held by the textile or fibrous ure I have also shown the plate 4 as of a diminished diameter and flat, its lower edge being rounded to facilitate its introduction within the filling 2. This form of my device may be assembled by first forming the filling as'a tube or sleeve, and then slipping the securing shank and plate into osition within it, after which the rubber bo y 1 is molded around the filling. This construction will permit the head 6 of the shank 5 to rotate 65 within the filling, while the plate 4 will enlling 2; and in that fignaeaeat counter sufieient resistance to cause it to expand or contract the closer when the shank 5 is rotated.

In Fig. 6 the plate 3 is also dispensed with, the head 6 being enlarged and being beveled inwardly toward the shank 5, so that when the shank'is drawn upward within the body 1, the beveled side of the head will tend to swell and enlarge the body, and when the shank is pushed downward the fiat top of its head, pressing against the bottom of the body-l, will stretch the body away from the cap 4.

In practice I prefer to provide the shank 5 with a left handed thread, so that when the closer is being used it may be expanded by a natural clockwise rotation of the shank, and may be loosened in the natural way by an anticlockwise rotation as is customary in withdrawing a screw.

The forms of closer shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 are peculiarly adapted for use in sealing orifices, such as the necks of bottles, where it is desired to prevent the removal of the closer without its being unlocked by a special means. For it will beseen that without the detached key 11, or some equivalent, special tool, the-shaft 5 can not be rotated to contract the closer so as to permit its removal from its seat in an orifice. And this feature of the closer adapts it for use in connection with wine bottles, or bottles containing proprietary liquids where it is most desirable to protect the integrity of the contents against substitution or adulteration. I urthermore, when a closer such as that shown in Fig. 4, with the end of the shank at or below the top of the closer, is used, the placing of a seal or of a sealing substance, such as sealing wax, over the end of the shank, after the closer has been expanded'in place, will effectually prevent its removal without destruction of the sealing element.

It will be obvious that my device might be modified in detail without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I therefore do not desire to limit myself only to the specific forms of construction shown. Nor do I wish to be understood as restricting myself to the use of the closer as a bottle stopper; for it is evident that my improvement may be used not only to close receptacles containing fluids or liquids, but also for securing or anchoring purposes, such for instance as are usually performed by anchor bolts, the expansible body of the closer being set within a previously prepared opening or socket, and, when expanded, acting as a base of support, for some other article; and where the elastic body of the closer is composed of rubber, that fact may be taken advantage of as afi'ording insulation for electrical wires or apparatus; and many other applications of my invention will occur to the mechanic skilled in the aaaaaae specifically mentioning laterally, as desired.-

3. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body and unitary, longitudinally acting means for both expanding and contracting the body laterally, as desired, by moving its opposite ends toward or away from each other.

4. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body, a rigid element adjacent to each end of the body and unitary means for moving such rigid elements both toward eachother to expand the body laterally and away from each other to contract it laterally, as desired.

5. The combination, in an orifice clomr, of a flexible body, a plate embedded near either end thereof, and a cooperating shank engaging with said plates for moving them both toward and away from each other to expand and contract the body laterally, as desired.

6. The combination, in an orifice closer, ofa flexible body, unitary, longitudinally actin means embedded therein for both expanding and contracting the body laterally, as desired, and exteriorly located means for actuating the embedded means.

7. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body, longitudinally acting means embedded therein or both expanding and contracting the body laterally, as desired, and rotatable, exterior means for actuating the embedded means to expand the body when the exterlor means are rotated in one direction and to contract it when they are rotated in the reverse direction.

8. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body and a single, positively acting means for both expanding and contractlng the body laterally, as desired.

9. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flem'ble body and unitary, longitudinally acting means disposed entirely within the surface lines of the body for both laterally expanding and contracting the same as desired, and means for actuating said unitary means.

10. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body, a plate embedded near either end thereo and a cooperating shank for moving said plates both toward and away from each other to expand and contract the body laterally as desired, said plates being substantially flared away from each other.

11. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a compressible and expansible body, a rigid, shank-engaging element incorporated with each end of the body, the upper of such elements having a screw threaded opening therethrough, and a threaded shank cooperating with said shank-engaging elements to draw them toward each other when it is rotated in one direction and to force them apart when it is rotated in the other direction and to thereby expand and contract the body as desired.

12. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a compressible and expansible body, a rigid shank-engaging element incorporated with each end of the body, the upper of such elements having a, screw threaded opening therethrough, and a'threaded shank cooperating' with said shank-engaging elements to draw them toward each other when it is rotated in one direction and to force them apart when it is rotated in the other direction and to thereby expand and contract the body as desired and to hold it in the expanded and contracted positions.

13. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a flexible body, and unitary, longitudinally-acting means for both expanding and contracting the body laterally, from a normal, initial position, as desired.

14. The combination, in an orifice closer, of a substantially solid body, and unitary, longitudinally acting means for both expanding and contracting it laterally, as desired.

ROBERT WILLIAM SAMSON.

Witness:

Howenn M. Rowe.

lltltli 

